A sustainable, fairer and better world for future generations
The most ambitious plan to improve the future of the next generations, towards the Invest EU initiative targeted for youth.
The recovery plan
The Next Generation EU (NGEU) is currently the largest and most ambitious recovery plan in Europe’s history. Also known as the Recovery Plan for Europe, it is a 750-billion-euro temporary recovery tool with the aim of developing a greener, digital and sustainable Europe.
In fact, the Next Generation EU is not only directed to recover the damage caused by the pandemic but also envisages real change for the Member States. Indeed, it is a huge step forward for the integration process, as it is not only a way to contain the crisis, but a common development plan, regulated under European Regulation 2020/2096.
It is an unprecedented effort and an innovative approach, promoting convergence, resilience and transformation in the European Union.
Recover from the pandemic & looking at the future
The ratio at stake covers two different needs of the EU: on the one hand, the need to repair the damages of the pandemic situation; on the other hand to improve the future of the next generations and to make Europe greener, digital, and resilient.
In this path, youth are no longer a secondary objective, but they are recognized as a priority for a new Europe. In fact, the older generation has a social responsibility to leave behind a sustainable, fairer and better world for future generations.
The Commission and investment in education: how to reach cohesion
Simply put, the Commission has based its 2020 plan for sustainable growth on seven goals in line with the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN Agenda 2030, which can be summarized as follows:
Power-up, Renovate, Recharge and refuel, Connect, Modernize, Scale up, Reskill and Upskill. The last point is vital for youth since it underlines the need to invest in human capital in terms of training and education. For instance, the education system needs to be more oriented to the promotion of digital competencies from primary school.
Maintaining our focus on youth, the most salient initiative covered by the NGEU is the InvestEU Programme with a funding of €8.4 billion, €5.6 from the NextGenerationEU and €2.8 from the MFF for the 2021-2027 cycle. Concerning the objectives of the four macro areas of intervention in which the Programme wants to guarantee investment operations, the most relevant ones for our ends are the second and the fourth: Research, Innovation, Digitalization, Social Investments, and Competencies.
If the former looks for an enhancement of the competitiveness in terms of technological and scientific progress, the latter includes measures targeting formation, education and microcredit in order to promote social, territorial and economic cohesion through resiliency, social inclusiveness and innovation capacity.
Photocredits: europa.eu